Forum:Handling controversies and disagreements
Category:stickied threads Since this wiki crosses several fields of study, it is inevitable that we will have many disagreements and potential conflicts. Let's discuss some ways to reduce and resolve some of the more common disagreements that may come up. Chemistry versus Technology: The primary source of disagreement will be between those who specialize in pigments and dyes (the chemists) and those who specialize in light emitters such as used in computer displays (the technologists). Both areas deserve respect as valid and as scientific. However, neither has the right to overrule the other since both are trying to approximate what the eye sees and both have technical difficulties in achieving consistent matches with what the eye sees. As an example, when determining the color of the sky, what the eye sees overrules both what pigments can produce and what light emitters can produce. Tradition versus Analysis: Many traditions have sprung up about color sorting that have no basis in science. These traditions should be respected as valid but when scientific analysis contradicts with traditions, scientific analysis overrules tradition. As an example, the color of caucasian skin is traditionally called peach, but the color of the peach is too saturated and too red to match the color of human skin. The Old Method versus The New Method: The old method is to believe that each object has one color: that roses are red and violets are blue. The new method is to recognize that every color is represented in every object and that color differences are a matter of proportion. As an example, look closely at your own skin. Is your skin one single color or a blotchy mixture of several colors including freckles, worn blotches, reddish blotches, subcutaneous veins, and more. The new method may name a color flesh but does so with recognition that real flesh is made of many different colors blotched and overlapping each other. Even the unnatural colors like pure magenta and pure cyan do show up in real life. They just show up in low proportions as blotches of color on otherwise naturally colored objects. Personal versus Concensus: Consensus of opinion always overrules any one persons personal opinion. One last note, is our goal to name every color or is our goal to set consistent standards of what color each name means? Our goal is both and we attempt both simultaneously and in balance with each other. On the one hand, it would be great to give every hexcode it's own name so that when looking for a unique color, we can refer to these unique colors by name. There's a particular shade of orange that I love but I have yet to find a name for and therefore cannot express to you how much I like this unnamed shade of orange. It's especially ironic since I dislike most shades of orange but really like this one I have no name for. On the other hand, the name of a color has to make sense. That is one of the main reasons for this wiki, to make sure that colors are named using reason and thought instead of using whimsy or bias. The color orange should look like an orange. These guidelines for handling controversy are subject to change upon discussion. --Bejjinks 01:46, 8 September 2008 (UTC)